How To Become A Freight Forwarder
Moves international shipments: books ocean and air space, prepares export and customs documents, and arranges duties.
Freight Forwarder Salary Data
Freight Forwarder Salary: What The BLS Figures Show
BLS publishes no salary for the freight forwarder title itself. The closest figure is the pay of cargo and freight agents working in freight transportation arrangement: a median of $54,730 a year across 53,390 jobs (May 2025).
By the Supply Chain Degree Programs editorial team Updated
- Median Pay, Cargo And Freight Agents In Freight Transportation Arrangement
- $54,730
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, by industry
The Pay Figures At A Glance
- In freight transportation arrangement, the median is $54,730. That industry is where this title works.
- The 10th to 90th percentiles there run $38,950 to $79,400. Across the whole occupation they run $38,340 to $79,810.
- Across every industry, the median is $52,260. The best-paying industry shown is deep sea, coastal, and great lakes water transportation, at $70,650.
- Projected change through 2035: 6.2%. Annual openings: about 9,000.
How Much Does A Freight Forwarder Make?
Among cargo and freight agents working in freight transportation arrangement, the industry forwarding firms belong to and where most of the occupation works, half earn more than $54,730 a year and half earn less. The 10th percentile is $38,950 and the 90th is $79,400. That industry median is $2,470 above the occupation’s median across every industry, $52,260.
| Percentile | In This Industry | All Industries |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,950 | $38,340 |
| Median | $54,730 | $52,260 |
| 90th | $79,400 | $79,810 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific estimates, Freight Transportation Arrangement; all-industries column from the national estimate. Read 2026-09-23.
Where The Freight Forwarder Salary Figure Comes From
BLS has no separate wage for freight forwarders. O*NET places them inside cargo and freight agents, the same occupation behind our freight broker pages, so the occupation-wide figures here are shared with them. The freight transportation arrangement figure below is this page’s own.
O*NET, the federal occupation database, lists freight forwarder among the titles in this occupation, alongside air export agent, air export coordinator, export coordinator, gsa coordinator and import agent. The freight broker salary page covers the whole occupation, and the freight broker career guide uses the same figures.
Freight Forwarder Pay By Industry
These are the industries where freight forwarders’ work happens, chosen for this page. Among them, cargo and freight agents earn the most in deep sea, coastal, and great lakes water transportation ($70,650) and the least in support activities for air transportation ($39,190), a spread of $31,460 at the median.
| Industry | Median | 10th To 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation | $70,650 | $43,080 to $139,370 | 1,170 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation | $60,830 | $40,970 to $92,390 | 2,480 |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | $57,660 | $43,710 to $76,850 | 9,770 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement | $54,730 | $38,950 to $79,400 | 53,390 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | $49,030 | $36,720 to $81,180 | 8,440 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | $39,190 | $34,450 to $47,550 | 6,030 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific estimates. Each figure is the median for cargo and freight agents working in that industry. The industry list is this site’s selection for the title, not a BLS ranking. Read 2026-09-23.
How Freight Forwarder Pay Compares With The Whole Occupation
Across every industry, cargo and freight agents earn a median of $52,260, with the middle half between $45,710 and $63,390, across 97,670 jobs. The freight broker salary page breaks that figure down by state, metro area, industry and employer type, and those tables apply to freight forwarders as much as to anyone else in the occupation.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national. Read 2026-09-23.
Job Outlook For Freight Forwarders
BLS projects the occupation, not the title: employment of cargo and freight agents is projected to grow 6.2% over 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 9,000 openings a year. The outlook section of the freight broker salary page splits those openings by source.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35. Read 2026-09-23.
Does A Degree Raise The Salary?
BLS reports what an occupation pays, not what a degree pays. The freight forwarder career guide covers the education path and what employers ask for. For what a degree costs, see the rankings of bachelor’s in supply chain management and online supply chain management degrees.
FAQ
How Much Does A Freight Forwarder Make?
BLS has no wage series for the title. Cargo and freight agents working in freight transportation arrangement, the industry forwarding firms belong to and where most of the occupation works, earn a median of $54,730 a year (May 2025); across every industry the occupation's median is $52,260.
What Do The Top-Paid Freight Forwarders Make?
Among cargo and freight agents in freight transportation arrangement, the 90th percentile is $79,400 a year, so one in ten earns more. Across the whole occupation it is $79,810.
Which Industry Pays Freight Forwarders The Most?
Of the industries on this page, deep sea, coastal, and great lakes water transportation pays cargo and freight agents the highest median, $70,650, across 1,170 jobs.
Is The Freight Forwarder Job Market Growing?
BLS projects cargo and freight agents as a whole to grow 6.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 9,000 openings a year. BLS projects the occupation, not the title.
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